No Danger of Influx of Bulgarian, Romanian Job-Seekers - Report

Politics » BULGARIA IN EU | January 16, 2008, Wednesday // 00:00
Bulgaria: No Danger of Influx of Bulgarian, Romanian Job-Seekers - Report "If you don't hold a work permit, you are not allowed to work in the UK," reads a poster presented as part of an information campaign rolled out by the British Embassy in Sofia at the end of last year. File photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)

A report by a Brussels-based non-profit organisation has sought to assuage fears over the impact of Bulgarian and Romanian jobseekers on the common labour market.

"This report ought finally to put to rest the myth of the Polish plumber," says Tony Venables, Director of European Citizen Action Service (ECAS).

"Most emigration from Bulgaria and Romania took place well before accession and continued to involve traditional countries of destination in particular Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal."

According to him restrictions based on exaggerated predictions of an influx of job-seekers or a deviation of mobility to countries opening up their labour markets proved unfounded, while transitional measures were taken "after the horse bolted".

Free movement within the union remains at a low level even with enlargement, concerning less than 2% of the population but is unevenly spread, the report says.

The country-by-country analysis shows that there are signs of a better spread of mobility and that the situation is now more settled, also taking into account the 2004 enlargement.

Labour migration contributes to growth rates, provides for more tax revenue than the negligible costs of social assistance and that it is generally complementing the domestic workforce, the report says.

Only 10, mostly new member states, opened up their markets to Bulgaria and Romania. Amongst the countries that chose to restrict access to their labour markets, the most notable U-turn is that of the United Kingdom and Ireland, both switching from a liberal approach.

The report suggests they should think twice and the other 13 member states should change their minds, as some have already in relation to the 2004 enlargement.

"It is time to address the real problems, by more appropriate and targeted means than transitional measures, which restrict the access to the labour market," the report's authors conclude.

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